Current Crowd Levels

[GatorChris]

I've been watching the App the last few weeks to try to get a feel for how the parks might be. The last three weeks, it's been pretty nice in the mornings. Crowds build nice and slow. But today is different. Definitely seeing 5-15 minutes longer per attraction than I have the last three Mondays. I'm curious how it will change throughout the day, so I may be back to edit. But as of now, October is already looking busier than September. I'm certainly worried about next week being a holiday week (when we're there). If there's no FP, we'll be doing a lot of lines all day long.

 

[upritbass]

We were there last week Mon-Fri. Reports were that Mon-Wed were the biggest crowds since the parks reopened and I believe it. Even the railroad was a three-train wait at the Main Station! That has never happened to me before. Even after 9pm the most popular rides had 45+ minute waits. Normally last week is mid-low season but there were probably a confluence of factors that combined to make it much more crowded than would normally be expected. One major factor is that DL is seriously understaffed -- almost all attractions are running well below capacity.

 

[dina444444]

I've been watching the App the last few weeks to try to get a feel for how the parks might be. The last three weeks, it's been pretty nice in the mornings. Crowds build nice and slow. But today is different. Definitely seeing 5-15 minutes longer per attraction than I have the last three Mondays. I'm curious how it will change throughout the day, so I may be back to edit. But as of now, October is already looking busier than September. I'm certainly worried about next week being a holiday week (when we're there). If there's no FP, we'll be doing a lot of lines all day long.

We are entering into the fall break season. And October for several years now has become the busiest month of the year due to Halloween.

 

[GatorChris]

We are entering into the fall break season. And October for several years now has become the busiest month of the year due to Halloween.

Oh. Well, that just sucks. All these folks way too interested in the dark side of life, I guess. We're going because my wife has a week off from teaching. I miss the old home school days of going whenever the winds blew the right way.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I will say that this past Wednesday evening at DCA was extremely crowded, even by pre-pandemic standards.

I think there were few extenuating circumstances... the CA resident tickets were expiring... OBB shuts down DCA a lot of evenings, so then when it is open in the evening, more people come... Incredicoaster broke down while we were back at Pixar Pier, so I'm sure that contributed to the "crush of humanity" feeling.

We'll be back this Friday, and I'm curious to see how it feels then.

 

[cwbronco]

We got here Sunday and crowds have been crazy...but it's been 11 years since we were here last so it could be a lack of perspective. There was lightning in the area so I'm hoping that will clear out the park a bit while we rest up in the hotel.

 

[Dory92130]

Something's up with DCA as even the 1day tickets have DCA selling out this week before DL- and that's rarely the case.

Key member passes - entire next two weeks gone - look for cancellations but it's solid out along with the weekends until November.

 

[dina444444]

Something's up with DCA as even the 1day tickets have DCA selling out this week before DL- and that's rarely the case.

Key member passes - entire next two weeks gone - look for cancellations but it's solid out along with the weekends until November.

The last two weeks of the month were replenished earlier today.

 

[Bungle]

Here now. Disneyland was extremely crowded today and the ride closures made it feel unbearable.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

Oh goodness. These reports aren't good for our upcoming trip this week. We were spoiled when we went in August with super low crowds.

 

[kikismom]

Here now. Disneyland was extremely crowded today and the ride closures made it feel unbearable.

Yes! We were in DCA and it was insane too. Monsters inc was 45 minutes when it wasn't down, RSR was triple digits when it wasn't down. So many rides down and that was before the big storm. Holy moly today was crazy! Still having fun though.

 

[jandegumas]

Last Sunday was the first time I've seen the timed red badges being actively done. Has been lacking all year until then.

Don't know why people think crowds are high. Even during Labor Day weekend it wasn't insane. Yes, the pinch points were crowded as usual, but even during fireworks got a good view 3minutes before the show. Nothing close to pre-covid levels.

We are here now. Today was day 1. Busiest day we’ve ever had in all our years coming here. It was insane and way worse than pre-Covid times. Lines were insane, the weather closing most of the rides didn’t help, but still. We decided to call it an early night at 9ish. I’m hoping for some crowd relief as the week goes on. We’re here through Friday.

 

[RJstanis]

We've done Disneyland the past two days and it's felt crazy busy to us too, but doable if you have a solid plan. We got there early both days, left at lunch, came back later in the day and were able to do everything we wanted and then some. Wanted to see the Day of the Dead stuff and the Halloween Tree tonight but forgot with the rain and hail. If it wasn't for the weather tonight we could have done even more. Fantasyland was a madhouse though right before the weather hit. We have DCA and the party tomorrow, so it was nice to be forced to come back to the room early lol.

We followed the morning plan recently posted in this board and it was pretty successful for us. Yesterday felt like 10 min behind the crowds (started with Space Mo) but today was the opposite (started in Fantasyland).

 

[Cap78]

Any reason why rides keep going down?

 

[Jaina]

Parts of AZ are on October Break too. We were there the last weekend in September, and crowds were better than when we were there the last week of July. (Those were weekdays, too) I'm curious to see how it plays out over the next few months. We're going again the first weekend in November.

 

[cwbronco]

Had lunch at the craftsman bar today and the waiter mentioned he can't recall the last time he's seen it this busy. To make matters worse in DCA the Incredicoaster was down all morning and now Grizzly River had been down most of the afternoon.

 

[twodogs]

The thing is, DLR knows exactly how many people are going to be in the parks each day, down to the individual person, now that everything requires a reservation. So “worse than ever crowds” are fully within the control of DLR, and they are choosing not to control it, I guess.

 

[Priory]

The thing is, DLR knows exactly how many people are going to be in the parks each day, down to the individual person, now that everything requires a reservation. So “worse than ever crowds” are fully within the control of DLR, and they are choosing not to control it, I guess.

Yep this is all by design. Overcrowded and understaffed. Chapek isn’t going to pay a single more cast member than he has to. I guess he’s adding a wing to one of his mansions.

 

[Dory92130]

We were there ove Labor day weekend and one weekend since - the crowds aren't even close to being as crowded as precovid. The ride queues are certainly shorter overall. The staffing up still has to occur and that's limiting the ability to service food crowds, but those waits have dramatically improved since the summer 'i'm here......wait wait wait wait wait wait' frustrations.

It's been hard to hire service throughout the region. Help Wanted everywhere.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I felt like yesterday was an extremely crowded day in Disneyland. When I checked into the Grand, I was told that the entire hotel was completely sold out. Middle of the week without any particular holiday. I wasn't expecting that. Made Oogie Boogie Bash really nice and uncrowded compared to Disneyland during the day.